Condemned (Xbox 360)

For me,this is the best of the launch titles along with Call Of Duty 2 & Kameo.
The first thing that will hit you when you load this beauty for the first time are the incredible graphics and the intense atmosphere that sucks you in.
The gameplay,although is more like an FPS,borrows alot of its 'scares' and 'pant-filling' jumps from Resident Evil series mixed with a few of the developers favourite movies...so the best way to describe Condemned is to say it is a FPS Resident Evil game,mixed with story elements and atmostphere from 'Seven' and enemies from '28 Days Later',and it all works brilliantly.
The enemy AI is nothing short of genius,if they see you coming they'll either charge at you in full force,hide or run away.
A group of enemies will also talk to each other and prepare for an ambush. The best thing however,is that they will actually run off to find a more powerful weapon,ie: if you have a crowbar and they have a stick,they will search for a large pipe or even a fire-arm.

So overall,this game is well worth a look and i'm confident you will not be dissapointed!!

However, where the game succeeds is in creating a gameplaying environment that is both intense and disturbing - thanks in no small part to the excellent graphics and chilling sound effects on offer. In many respects, Condemned is a brilliant showcase for what the XBox 360 can and will achieve in terms of atmosphere and the ability to generate strong emotive responses from the gamer. Playing this game will unsettle you!

Plot is reasonably generic. You're a detective hunting a serial killer, but who's doing the hunting? etc. etc. Parallels can easily be drawn with the film The Bone Collector.

Levels are varied and nicely themed - from an underground tube station to an abandoned apartment store. The actual level maps are a nice mix of tight corridors and open areas - providing the feeling of claustrophobia and exposure in equal measure. The level maps are not available to view however, so getting lost is likely. Some will consider this frustrating, others will see this as helping to crank up the atmosphere and sense of cautious exploration.

The levels are not nearly as interactive as the developer wants you to believe. Interaction with barriers and jumping over ledges for example, are limited to set points in the game. For the rest of the time, you are prevented from pushing blockages such as clothes rails out of your path, and are forced to find alternative routes. This makes for a more linear progression through the levels which, whilst not a major flaw, is nevertheless synonymous with 'ex-gen' gaming.

Combat is solid but offers nothing particularly new. Firearms are few-and-far-between resulting in many enemies being despatched with many bludgeoning weapons. This proves to be worryingly satisfying - especially given the intuitive AI and realistic movements of your opponents. The 'rag-doll' behaviour of the enemies after they fall is a bit dodgy, but this doesn't detract from the experience.

Overall, Condemned can be considered a worthy purchase. It's not without its flaws and it's not a 'next-gen' title in terms of gameplay. However, it's an experience worth investing in, and a good showcase for your new console. Worth £40 and highly recommended to all but the hardcore gameplay enthusiast!